May Book Reviews April 17, 2023 – Posted in: Book News – Tags: Bags of Books, Book Reviews, fiction, middle grade fiction, new books, non-fiction, Our Favourites, YA
Book Reviews - May
Another month means more reviews for you to perose through. Thankfully with the Bank Holidays this month we have been given a couple a few extra days of reading (yay). We could probally go on reviewing forever but then you would have no excuse to come and visit us.
As always we are more than happy to talk books with everyone but if you cannot get to visit us or you just need a little inspiration then here are our picks for May.
Celebrate with Us by Valerie Wilding and Asa Gilland
Out Now, Hardback £12.99
In this book you will take a trip around the world and visit 20 children with very different ways of life. Starting in Australia for the Barunga Festival and ending at the Carnival in Rio, you will visit Japan’s Cherry Blossom Festival, spend Easter in Poland, learn about the Day of the Dead in Mexico and celebrate Diwali in India along the way. The book also includes lesser known celebrations, like Martin’s Day, Gathering of Nations and King’s Day.
Each double spread introduces children to another featival or tradition, and each is explained by a different local child, who tells us what the celebration means, explains its origins and describes what people do on those special days.
This lovely book with amazing colourful illustrations is a must for every family to show how diverse, big and interesting our world is. This is a follow-up to This Is Our World.
Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star
Out May 25th, Paperback £7.99
Cosima lives in the Home for Unfortunate Girls, where the government put all children with disabilities, no matter if they have a family or not. For Cos this has been the only home she’s ever known, and it has not been fun.
One day a strange man called Lord Fitzroy arrives at the Home, and the girls overhear that he wants to adopt all the girls who live there. He’s an incredibly wealthy man, and when the children start to dig into his past, they realise that many things about him are very dodgy. They plan a big heist to get away from him and to secure their future, but they will have to be cunning as life for a disabled child in the 19th century isn’t easy.
This is a daring adventure, with many mysteries to solve, a proper villain and some great leading characters that will make you root for them from page 1.
Featuring characters with physical disabilities as well as neurodiverse characters, it also touches on the topic of colonialism, so definitely worth a read!
Where the River Takes Us by Lesley Parr
Out Now, Paperback £7.99
A book about friendship, grief and belonging, a true adventure story that will stay with you for a long time. As all Lesley Parr’s books, it is a must read!
Jason and his big brother Richie are in financial difficuties after the death of their parents. But Jase and his friends have a plan to get a nice sum of money – find and photograph the Beast of Blaengarw. Filled with fun and danger, their adventure proves to be more than they expected.
Set in the 70s in Wales, against the backdrop of miners’ strikes and thre-day working weeks, this book shows young readers a part of history we don’t usually see in children’s books.
Stand Up by Nikesh Shukla..
Out now, paperback £7.99
Seventeen year old Madhu loves, and lives Comedy- it’s her dream to be a stand-up comedian but her dad wants her to study law. She’s not so sure that’s right for her but she feels the weight of her family’s expectations. She has been struggling with (avoiding) finishing her uni application, A level studies and her comedy routine while working shifts at a pizza restaurant and navigating a difficult home situation. Her older sister has been kicked out of home and isn’t answering her texts, and Madhu feels guilty that she didn’t stand up to their father.
Madhu is confident and hilarious in real life but freezes on her first open mic performance and runs off stage. Then a video of her calling out her friend’s cheating boyfriend goes viral, and she gets her big chance … but it isn’t without its own problems and subterfuge … and she has to deal with other people’s agendas too.
This book is warm, witty and insightful, full of heart, and with great characters, especially Madhu herself.
Broken Hearts and Zombie Parts by William Hussey
Out Now, Paperback £8.99
This is genuinely one of the best books I have read this year. From page one I loved every second reading and laughing.
When Jesse is told that he will need to have open heart surgery in 4 weeks time he is determind to complete two tasks, 1. film his epic zombie film, Zombie Honeymoon and 2. Get his first ever boyfriend, because who could possibly find him attractive when he has an almighty scar?
William Hussey is hilarious, while still writing a brilliant novel about body image, self acceptance, friendship and first loves. Broken Hearts and Zombie Parts is the epitome of Rom-com.
Loved it so much. my must read pick for teens 14+
The Headmaster’s List by Melissa de la Cruz
Out Now, Paperback £8.99
Spencer wakes up in hospital having been in a car crash, with no memory of the accident that has killed another passenger and got Ethan, her now ex boyfriend arrested. Determined to piece back together her memory of what happened that evening, spencer starts ivestigating. But no one seems to want to talk about it and when Spencer starts being annoyomously threatened to stop investigating she puts her life at risk because what if Ethan is actually innocent and this wasn’t an accident after all?
A thriller that will keep you guessing, perfect for fans of Holly Jackson’s A Good Girls Guide to Murder.
With themes of drugs and references to sex this book is not suitable for younger teens
You can find more reviews of children and adult books in the May & June edition of Booktime Magazine
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